MORGANTOWN, W.Va – A busy athletic calendar is still rolling along on campus at West Virginia University, with the Mountaineer baseball team closing out the fourth NCAA postseason regional to be in Morgantown this year on Monday night.
WVU takes on Kentucky for the right to go on to the NCAA Super Regionals, with the university in line to host the next round if the Mountaineers eliminate the Wildcats. It tees up a significant opportunity after West Virginia came from behind on Sunday to force the decisive game.
“I’ve been on the sideline and in the heart of some intense atmospheres, some good and some bad, but that was probably as good of one as I’ve ever seen,” WVU Vice President and Director of Athletics Wren Baker said Monday on MetroNews Talkline.
The weekend of sellout crowds is another jewel in the crown for an athletic year that saw Mountaineer baseball join the women’s basketball, men’s soccer, and women’s soccer programs in hosting NCAA tournament competition. Baker believes that playing postseason games on campus gives WVU teams a distinct advantage in situations like Sunday.
“You look at so many things that we’ve overcome and adversity; I think that’s embedded in our fans, so they were engaged and still very much into it. The crowd was still very lively,” he said.
Baker’s vision for West Virginia University athletics includes the department becoming an economic driver for not just the university but for the state as a whole. He sees bringing fans from other schools around the country to Morgantown for tournament action as one step in making WVU sports into a starting point for tourism.
“When you have these events where people are coming into the state for something other than that, but they get a chance to see the incredible hiking trails, to read about all of the different outdoor activities, waterfalls, river rafting, the great restaurants, the history and tradition, and the museums throughout the state – I think it’s really, really important that we try to show people a great time,” Baker said.
The Mountaineer faithful play their own part in the success of events like NCAA regionals, and Baker sees that as an important part of the puzzle. The continued support of passionate fans for Mountaineer teams is something he counts on continuing.
“It is a great advantage, and you do know when you go out there that it matters to people, and it’s a responsibility that you take on, and I know when we bring coaches in, we talk about that,” he said.
The first pitch between West Virginia and Kentucky is Monday night at 6 pm.